(ANS – Alicante) – Summing up a century of Salesian presence in Alicante in video: such is the aim of a full-length film production currently in production to celebrate the 1st centenary of Salesian work in the city – due to take place on 9 February 2014. The film will combine fiction scenes with archival photos, along with shots of the institute and Salesian community today.

Fr Mario Pardos, the Rector of the Salesian community at Alicante, has contracted Ruben Ferrández, a Salesian past pupil and director of the Trébol Press agency for the task. The producers, encouraged by the imagination of film director Ángel Gómez, has taken extensive footage over a number of weeks around Alicante, and will tell the story of a man who kept his link with the Salesian Community over his lifetime.

As well as this story, using fiction to understand a century of Salesian work, the video will have around thirty interviews with school principals, current and past,  Salesians from the community, teachers and those running various institutions set up by the Salesians at Alicante, and will run for about 95 minutes.

The video will also include photos both past and present, and videos in Super 8 which have been preserved in the school library.

“The great work done by the Salesians over many years is impressive. There are exceptional documents which can make the film more interesting” Mr Ferrández, director of the project explains.

Using these films and testimonies of Salesians who have lived at Alicante, the film will show important episodes of the Salesian history tied to the city, such as the “various years the Salesians had to leave the city during the Republic; the destruction of the church next to the Council office and the success of the Sporting Salesian” adds Ferrández.

Another important event in view of the centenary will take place on 2 February 2014, when the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez, will celebrate Mass there – Spanish TV La2 will broadcast this – and will then meet young people from the city.

The La Verdad (newspaper) website currently offers video of footage for the film which you can watch.

Published 05/11/2013